Prevention of smoking behaviors in middle school students: Student nurse interventions

This article examines the use of the Tar Wars curriculum with the public he alth problem of preteen smoking and outlines interventions with a middle sc hool population by community health student nurses from a state university. Smoking is the single most preventable cause of death and disability. Thre e million people die worldwide each year as a result of smoking. Cigarette smoking has now been labeled a pediatric disease. Estimates are that 3,000 children will begin a lifelong addiction to cigarettes every day. They will face a life of poor quality based on the medical consequences of smoking c igarettes. Mortality from tobacco use is annually greater than that from dr ug abuse, AIDS, suicide, homicide, and motor vehicle accidents combined. Pr eteen and teenage smoking is now a public health problem, therefore implica tions for service learning, nursing advocacy, and interventions with this h ealth problem are discussed.